November 27, 1999

Obituaries

REV. DAVID B. BALL, 66, of San Diego, Calif., died Friday morning, Nov. 26, 1999, at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.
Arrangements are pending at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City.

GERALDINE G. COWLEY, 92, of Mancelona and formerly of Bellaire, died Friday, Nov. 26, 1999, at Meadow Brook Medical Care Facility in Bellaire. She was born July 20, 1907.
No services are planned at this time. Arrangements are being handled by the Bellaire Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes.

ALEX J. FISHER, 70, of Traverse City, died Wednesday, Nov. 24, 1999, in Miami, Fla.
Arrangements are being handled by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City.

HILGA A. MARCHI, 91, of Bear Lake, died Thursday, Nov. 25, 1999, at West Shore Hospital in Manistee.
Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. today at Edwards Funeral Home, Bear Lake.

WILMA J. 'WILLIE' OLSON, 68, of Traverse City, died Thursday, Nov. 25, 1999, at her home.
Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at Traverse City Chapel of Covell Funeral Homes with a Rosary recited at 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at noon Tuesday at Christ the King Catholic Church in Acme where visitation will continue from 11 a.m. until the time of service. A complete obituary will appear in Sunday's Record-Eagle.

ANNABELLE OLIVE OSBORN, 77, of Bear Lake and formerly of Muskegon, died Thursday, Nov. 25, 1999, at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. She was born July 13, 1922.
Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Bear Creek VFW Post No. 6333 in Kaleva with Rev. Mark Anderson officiating. The Terwilliger Funeral Home in Kaleva is in charge of arrangements.

LELIA IRENE WRIGHT, 66, of Beulah, died Friday, Nov. 26, 1999, at the Maples - Benzie County Medical Care Facility in Frankfort. She was born June 9, 1913 in Beulah.
Visitation will be held from noon until the 2 p.m. funeral service on Monday at the Bennett-Barz Funeral Home in Beulah. Interment will be in Homestead Township Cemetery.

JANET WOLVERTON, 64, of Central Lake, died Friday, Nov. 26, 1999, at home. She was born Sept. 23, 1935.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Central Lake Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home.

John E.
Christophersen
Died November 26, 1999
NORTHPORT - John E. Christophersen, 86, of Northport, died Friday at his home.
Born June 30, 1913, in Manistee, he was the son of James and Nina (Johnson) Christophersen. On Aug. 11, 1945, in Northport, he married Florence C. Raftshol, who preceded him in death on July 28, 1983.
John was a teacher for 42 years, having taught at Bunker School and Muskegon public schools. A member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Muskegon for 50 years, he taught Sunday school and was an active member of the choir. He was also a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Northport for more than 20 years. John was also a volunteer for the Leelanau Memorial Care Center in Northport. He loved God, his church, his family, his school, his students, fellow teachers and the communities in which he lived. He enjoyed teaching, singing, gardening and swimming on the lake.
He is survived by two daughters, Ann (Keith) Gorter of Muskegon and Gail Christopherson of Westland; five sons, John A. (Connie) of Ft. Wayne, Walter D. (Margaret) of Muskegon, Philip of Northport, Paul of Detroit and Joseph (Mary) of Muskegon; nine grandchildren, Erica, John D., Megan, Ben, Walter J., Derik, Joseph J., Molly and Audra; and one great-grandson, Christopher.
He was preceded in death by one brother; and two sisters.
Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday at Martinson Funeral Home in Suttons Bay. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Bethany Lutheran Church in Northport.
Memorial contributions may be directed to Bethany Lutheran Church in Northport.

Maribel V. Crouch
Died November 24, 1999
TRAVERSE CITY - Maribel V. Crouch, 83, of Traverse City, died Wednesday at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.
She was born on Nov. 18, 1916, in Beitner, the daughter of William and Winona (Crandall) McGarry. In 1941, she married Leon M. Crouch in Los Angeles, Calif. and he preceded her in death in 1981.
Maribel loved cooking for family and a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. She was a longtime member of Asbury United Methodist Church and was very active in the United Methodist Church Women and other church outreach activities. Until recently she had also been an auxiliary volunteer at Munson Medical Center.
Maribel is survived by her son, Michael and his wife June of Wexford, Pa., two grandchildren, Betsy and Tim, also of Wexford; a brother William of Traverse City; and a sister Rose (Jack) Spear of Richland Center, Wis.
Maribel was preceded in death by her parents and three sisters, Margaret Ethel, Frances and Eva.
Friends may call from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Asbury United Methodist Church with the Rev. William Haggard officiating. Burial will be in Grand Traverse Memorial Gardens.
Memorial contributions may be directed to Asbury United Methodist Church or the American Cancer Society.

Tharel T. 'Dutch' Kanitz
Died November 24, 1999
TRAVERSE CITY - Tharel T. "Dutch" Kanitz, 91, of Traverse City, died Wednesday, Nov. 24, 1999, at 8 p.m. at Munson Medical Center. He was an educator and an athlete, an avid sports fan, an exemplary neighbor, and a loving, generous father and grandfather.
He was born Dec. 16, 1907, in Douglas County, Ill., the ninth son of Charles and Sarah (Smith) Kanitz. He graduated from Milan High School in 1926, and from the University of Michigan in 1930. At the university he played on the varsity basketball team, and was proud to have been a member of the 1929 Big Ten Championship team. On June 27, 1931, he married Marian Geib of Grand Rapids.
Dutch was a career teacher, with a total of 42 years in the classroom in both Iowa and Michigan. He taught and coached football, basketball and track in Big Rapids from 1933 to 1942. For 28 years he taught at Traverse City Central Junior High and was also head football coach, with three championships, from 1942 to 1947, a baseball coach from 1948 to 1951, and he also coached golf for one year in Traverse City.
He was a faithful member of the First Congregational Church, where he especially enjoyed the fellowship of working in the kitchen. He was a member of the Traverse City University of Michigan Club, the U of M Alumni Association, and a lifetime member of the M Club for U of M lettermen.
He is survived by his wife, Marian; a son, James (Emilie) Kanitz of Saginaw, daughter, Nancy (Richard) Steiger of Traverse City; five grandchildren, Kristin Kanitz (Michael Wygocki) of Madison, Wis., Daniel Kanitz of Sterling Heights, Laura Steiger (George Gillespie) of Delray Beach, Fla., Thomas Steiger of Seattle, Wash. and Jana Steiger of Washington, DC; and two great-grandchildren, Austen Wygocki and Dylan Gillespie.
He was preceded in death by his parents and eight brothers, Walter, Clarence, Elby, Frank, Sylvan, Arthur, Loyal and Joseph Kanitz.
A memorial service will be held late in December near Christmas. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the First Congregational Church.

Charles S. May
Died November 22, 1999
TRAVERSE CITY - Charles S. May, 71, of Traverse City and Englewood, Fla., died Monday at his home in Florida.
Born Aug. 3, 1928, in Traverse City, he was the son of Charles S. and Mary Eva (Paffhausen) May. On May 29, 1953, in Angola, Ind., he married Juanita Moore. Charles served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.
He is survived by his wife, Juanita, of Traverse City and Englewood, Fla.; four sons, James (Karen) May of Lewiston, John May of Traverse City, Patrick (Nancy) May of Rochester Hills and Michael (Lisa) May of Grand Rapids; and 12 grandchildren, Martin, Matthew, Adrian, Kelli, Kaitlyn, Mitchell, Tyler, Michelle, Madison, Sophia, Andrew and Grace. He is also survived by a brother, James May and four sisters, Mary May, Pat Gouyette, Elizabeth Cloutier and Gretchen Speer.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, John May; and two sisters, Jean Ghering and Katherine Snoek.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Hibbard Funeral and Cremation Service in Traverse City, where a Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with Rev. James Hayden officiating, where visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.
Memorial contributions may be directed to Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools.

Ruth Marie Psaris
Died November 26, 1999
INTERLOCHEN - Ruth Marie Psaris, 76, of Interlochen, went to her heavenly home on Friday, at her residence.
Born April 25, 1923, in West Branch, she was the daughter of Ben and Eva (Sanborn) Vincent.
Ruth was a member of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Beulah; and a past member and deacon of the Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Melbourne, Fla. Ruth and her husband, Anthony, were past owners and operators of Mr. P's in Lake Ann from 1972 to 1982. During her spare time, Ruth enjoyed doing home crafts.
She is survived by her daughter, Sharon Cicansky of Interlochen; her grandchildren, Crystal Smeltzer of Elberta, Cheryl (Jerry) Andrews of Benzonia, Michael (Hope) Cicansky of Honor, Shamarie (Tom) Regenold of Grawn, Dean (Kelly) Myers of Honor and William (Jenny) Myers of Thompsonville; numerous great-grandchildren; and one brother, Jerry (Celina) Vincent of Junction City, Kansas.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Anthony Psaris, in 1995; her son, Dean Myers; a sister, Mae Dowd; and two brothers, Jack Vincent and Ernest Vincent.
Memorial services will be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be directed to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church.
Arrangements are being handled by Bennett-Barz Funeral Home in Beulah.

Willard T. Ritter
Died November 25, 1999
TRAVERSE CITY - Willard T. Ritter, 84, of Traverse City, died Thursday morning at home at Ritter's Senior Adult Living Center after fighting a 20 year illness with Parkinson's disease.
Born June 1, 1915, in Rapid City, he was the son of Paul and Lola (Forsythe) Ritter. On May 13, 1939, in Traverse City, he married Isabelle A. Knieper, who preceded him in death on Nov. 20, 1989.
Willard lived most of his life in the Traverse City area, owning and operating a farm and later the Acme Skyport Airport, one mile East of Acme. He possessed a pilot's license and enjoyed owning and flying his Cherokee. He was a graduate of Williamsburg High School and Central Michigan University was employed as a teacher and a principal at Fife Lake, Williamsburg, Birmley and Interlochen. He was also a social worker and director of Social Aid and Welfare in Newago County. He was a member of Christ the King Catholic Church in Acme.
He is survived by a sister, Delores (Ritter) Smith of Acme; three daughters, Joan (Wilfred) Korson of Northport, Louise Korson of Traverse City and Beverly (Dick) Rooney of Howell; three sons, Kenneth (Betty) Ritter of Flint, Roger (Rhoda) Ritter of Traverse City and Dennis (Audrey) Ritter of Williamsburg; 26 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Barbara Jean; a son, D'Arcy Paul Ritter of Xenia, Ohio; and a brother, Howard Ritter of Traverse City.
Friends may visit from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City, where a Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at noon Monday at Christ the King Catholic Church in Acme with Rev. Edwin Thome serving as celebrant. Burial will be in Oakwood Diocesan Catholic Cemetery.
Memorials may be directed to Mass intentions, Munson Hospice or the Rainbow Fund.